Former Saudi Mufti’s Son Shares Testimony of Conversion and Persecution

Ahmed Joktan, the son of a prominent Saudi Arabian mufti, recently shared his journey from a devout Islamic upbringing to Christian evangelism at the AWAKE Houston event. Raised in a family of religious scholars, Joktan memorized the Quran by age 13 and pursued medical studies before an encounter with a church in New Zealand led to his conversion. He describes this transition as a life-altering decision that resulted in his estrangement from his family and the loss of his status within his lineage.

Joktan reports that his commitment to Christianity led to severe physical persecution, including a violent attack that resulted in the loss of 13 teeth and permanent scarring. Despite these hardships, he maintains that he has no regrets, stating that his name is now written in the Book of Life. Today, Joktan leads the ministry Mecca to Christ, where he encourages Western Christians to overcome their hesitation and share the Gospel with their Muslim neighbors. He emphasizes that while the cost of following Jesus is significant, the spiritual reward remains his primary focus.